


Personal Space

by Apparentlynotreallyfinnish



Series: Prompted ficlets [23]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: A hint of smut, Fluff, GASP!, M/M, Sharing a Bed, There Is Only One Bed!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-13 05:57:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20577611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apparentlynotreallyfinnish/pseuds/Apparentlynotreallyfinnish
Summary: Part of a series of prompted ficlets. Prompt: "We could try cuddling."





	Personal Space

**Author's Note:**

  * For [likeawildpotato](https://archiveofourown.org/users/likeawildpotato/gifts).

They stood at the foot of the bed, Rhett’s toe barely touching the side of Link’s foot like it always did. They’d been like this for years. They didn’t mind their bodies accidentally brushing against each other; they barely dodged anymore when it happened. They didn’t mind the occasional touch on the shoulder, on the arm, on a thigh even. They might lean over and dab a runaway drop of sauce off the other one’s face and think nothing of it. They hugged to celebrate. They hugged to console. Sometimes they just hugged for the hell of it. The concept of personal space was almost entirely lost on them. 

Except right now.

They stared at the bed – at the very narrow single bed.

“So…” Rhett started to say shifting his foot away, suddenly feeling way too close to Link.

“Yeah… Wasn’t this supposed to be a king size?” Link asked rubbing his neck awkwardly.

“I thought they said a queen,” Rhett replied.

“Well, this queen has been on a diet. Gosh, Rhett, I don’t think this is gonna work,” Link said glancing at Rhett. Rhett saw the movement from the corner of his eye but couldn’t turn to look back at him. His palms had started to sweat. _What are we gonna do?_

“There’s not even a couch! Maybe I could sleep in the tub…” Rhett mused.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re back can’t take that. We should just go back to the front desk and ask for another room.”

“Didn’t you listen? They were all booked,” Rhett huffed.

“Oh. I guess I missed it,” Link said sheepishly. “Should we call Jenna? Maybe she can find us another hotel?”

“You really want to wake her at this hour?”

“No, I guess not,” Link acquiesced.

Silence fell between as they kept staring at the bed. Rhett heard Link swallow before opening his mouth again.

“We could try cuddling.”

Rhett bit his lip and nodded trying to hide the nervous energy coursing through his body.

“Yeah, I guess.”

And with that it was decided. They parted quickly, both withdrawing to the opposite ends of the room – like putting distance between them now would somehow make the bed bigger when they got on it. A strange formality was laced through all their interactions before tucking in. They danced around each other as if all of sudden very they’d become aware of the other’s body in the space that they occupied.

Link came out of the bathroom in a t-shirt and boxer briefs. He held the door open for Rhett with a ridiculous little bow and a crooked smile.

“Your highness,” he said in jest and Rhett walked past him smelling the minty freshness of his breath.

“And don’t even think about sleeping naked tonight,” Link said before closing the door. Rhett laughed a laugh that was too loud and ended abruptly. His mind was suddenly filled with images of their entangled bodies; Link’s warm skin pressing up against his. Rhett shook his head almost violently, trying to get rid of the visions. He brushed his teeth pressing too hard and took a quick courtesy shower.

Link was waiting on the bed, sitting on the edge of it picking on a thread that had escaped from the corner of the sheet. His head whipped up when Rhett stepped out of the bathroom. Rhett’s stomach fluttered when he took in the sight of his best friend. The small bed made him look big, all muscles and sharp angles and Rhett coughed trying to get rid of the sudden coarseness in his throat. Link smiled nervously.

“Wasn’t sure which side you wanted,” he said quietly. Rhett took a few steps and stopped. The heat that was coiling in his stomach was unexpected but not entirely unwelcome.

“Are there really sides on that thing? Seems like all of it is just…middle,” he said to lighten the mood. Link chuckled and turned to look at the bed. His hand swept over the sheet, straightening the creases on the fabric and Rhett’s breath hitched. Something about the gesture was too much to Rhett. Too intimate; too inviting.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Link muttered and turned to look at Rhett again. His eyes were unusually soft and searching. Rhett felt his cheeks starting to burn and turned away, busying himself with his suitcase

“So, do you want to be the little spoon or the big’un?” Link’s voice sounded from behind his back. He obviously attempted to sound cheery but it came out forced and artificial.

Rhett’s mind wandered. He imagined Link wrapping his arms around him, pressing his chest against Rhett’s back, breathing warm puffs of air against Rhett’s neck. No, I can’t do that. He imagined the roles reversed. Link in his arms; sleepy sighs, the tickle of his hair against Rhett’s nose, his ass pressing up against Rhett’s crotch… _Nope!_

“I – I don’t really have a preference. What do you wanna do?” Rhett stammered.

“I mean, you’re taller so… I guess I’ll be the little spoon,” Link said. Rhett cursed. He should’ve gone with that himself. He turned and saw Link stretching his tall frame on the bed before turning on his side leaving a small sliver of bed free behind him.

“Get the light, will ya?” Link muttered and closed his eyes. Rhett swallowed and smiled tightly. The darkness was a relief. At least now he didn’t have to see the peaks and valleys of Link’s body. He didn’t have to see the salt and pepper hair fanning on the pillow. He didn’t have to see Link. He rounded the bed and climbed on awkwardly.

“Ouch!”

“Sorry.”

”Just, move your…”

”Sorry, okay. Like this?”

”Yeah. Maybe if I’ll… How about – Is this okay?”

“Mm-hm. Yeah. Are you – comfortable?”

Link burst to laugh. “No! Are you?” Rhett felt Link’s body shake with the laughter and laughed too. It helped to release the nervous energy that was tensing up his muscles.

“Honestly? Not at all. Have you always been this…angular? You’re all sharp and bony,” Rhett giggled poking at Link’s elbow.

“Oh, wow. Thanks a lot, man. You’re not the softest thing to lean against either. I’m pretty sure I can feel your ribs,” Link replied wiggling his body against Rhett’s chest – and against his crotch. Rhett felt the unmistakable heat between his legs, the beginnings of an erection. _No, no, no. This is not that kind of embrace!_

“Stop that,” Rhett yelped and tried to shift farther from Link’s wiggling hips. As he tried to make some room between them his hand landed the curve of Link’s ass and they both immediately stilled.

The room was quiet save for their ragged breaths.

“Rhett?” Link’s voice waivered as he whispered the name. His tone was unfamiliar to Rhett; all trembling and rough. Rhett wasn’t sure if he was asking Rhett to stop or pleading for him to go on. Rhett’s tongue slipped between his parted lips and he licked away the state of dryness his quickened breaths had left them in. He felt faint and incredibly alert at the same time.

“Not so sharp here I guess,” he murmured as his palm slid over the soft curve of Link’s body. Link drew in a quick breath. Rhett’s hand slowly moved down caressing the silky smooth skin of Link’s thigh. He felt Link tremble and he heard Link’s ragged breaths but what he did not hear was a ‘no’. Rhett’s hand slipped on the back of Link’s thigh and traveled up climbing on the round of his ass. Link hissed as Rhett’s fingers dug into his soft flesh and squeezed. Rhett’s head was swimming and his world was suddenly spinning out of control. It was like dam breaking. A swell of feelings and deeply buried wanting crashed through him and burst out in a form of a whimper:

“Oh fuck, Link.”

Link sprung to movement. For a second Rhett thought he was getting off the bed and he opened his mouth to apologize, to plead for forgiveness. _I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me. I was just kidding. Don’t go!_ But then he felt fingers in his hair and a toned leg between his own and a hot, wet tongue licking into his mouth. Link dove for him desperately and Rhett answered in kind. Link was the best possible mix of soft and sharp; of familiar and uncharted. Their bodies moved against each other; closer now than ever before. Rhett felt Link’s hardness pressing against his own and ground against him in desperation. Link moaned into Rhett’s mouth and tugged on his hair pulling him closer still.

“I want you to fuck me, Rhett. Right now. Please.”

Rhett had no objections.

They’d always been like this.

The concept of personal space means nothing when your soul belongs to the other.


End file.
